Writing instrument



March 14, 1950 c. M. TURSKY WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 28, 1947 85 ab w22 www A lll Ivi* m WWW/WA 8b 2 V5 M.,

vllllllllillllllilll IIIIIIIIIII JNVENToR. CHARLES' M. TURS'KY 3% FIGJ A TTORNE Y Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRITING INSTRUMENT Charles M. Tursky, Englewood, N. J.

Application November 28, 1947, Serial No. 788,336

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to writing implements and similar instruments in which a retractable working point projects from the end of an elongated body.

An object of the present invention is to provide, in an instrument of this kind, simple means for instantaneously displacing the working point from retracted into extended position and vice versa.

Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument of the character described in which extension and retraction of the Working point may be eiected by simple manipulation of one and the same button.

A further object of the invention is to provide an instrument of this character in which the working point may be extended by nger pressure and retracted by a sudden release of pressure, being automatically held in its extended position when the release of the nger pressure is gradual.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a ball point pen provided with a springpressed button at the end opposite the ball point, depression of this button against the action of the spring being effective to lock the ball point in extended position from which it may be quickly retracted by a liip of the linger.

In ball point pens, where a danger of leakage ordinarily does not exist, it is sometimes found economical or expedient to dispense with the separable cover usually provided in fountain pens, and to make the ball point retractable in order to protect the lining of the users pocket from direct contact with the ink-carrying ball. In most instances, however, the operation of the retracting mechanism provided for that purpose is so involved that the hurried user is likely to pocket his pen without the precaution of retracting it, the complexity of the mechanism thus defeating its purpose. The invention aims at avoiding these shortcomings by the provision of a quick-working, eliicient and easily manipulable retracting mechanism.

The above and other features will become apparent from the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a sectional elevation of a ball point pen according to the invention, shown in the extended position of the ball point;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the ball point in retracted position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation,

showing the pen mechanism in the process of being manipulated;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of an element of the pen assembly; and

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Surrounded by the barrel I0 of the pen, Figs. l and 2, are a cartridge II, Aa coil spring I2, an adapter I3, a thrust washer I4, a lock washer I5, and an operating member or button I6 surrounded by a sleeve I'I. A gland I8 threadedly engages the upper end of the barrel I0 and cooperates with a shoulder I9 on the member I5, thereby limiting the upward movement of the latter.

The cartridge I I may be of conventional form, comprising an ink-holding tube 20 and a ball point 2| which, in the extended position shown in Fig. 1, projects beyond the lower end of barrel Ill. The expanding coil spring I2 bears upon a shoulder 22 of barrel I0 and also upon the lower face of the head '23 of adapter I3 which straddles and securely engages the upper end of cartridge tube 20. Thrust washer I4 has a beveled prole and concentrically surrounds the stem 24 of adapter I3 which is frictionally slidable therein. Also surrounding the stem 24 is the stop washer I5 whose aperture 25, however, is suiciently large to permit this washer to assume either a position perpendicular to the stem 24, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1. The end of stem 24 slidingly fits into the bore 26 of actuating member I6, said bore being suiciently deep to permit the member I6 to engage washer I5 before coming into engagement with stem 24.

The operation of the retracting mechanism according to the invention is as follows:

The sleeve Il, shown in elevation in 4, is beveled at the underside so that the edge 21 extends below the edge 28 thereof. In the position illustrated in Fig. 1, one side of the lock washer I5 abuts the edge 21 of sleeve I1 while the other edge, 28, is sufficiently recessed to permit the washer I5 to assume the inclined position shown, in which position the washer frctionally engages the stem 24 and thereby prevents the coil spring I2 from raising the adapter I3; hence the ball point 2| will remain extended as illustrated. Although the actuating member I6 is free to slide up and down in the sleeve I'I, the ball point '2l will be locked in place by the washer I5 and will not yield, even under substantial pressure exerted by the writer. To retract the point, the operator pushes down the button IB until it bears upon the lock washer I5, the latter in turn abutting the conical face of washer I4 whose other face comes to rest against a shoulder 29 of barrel Ill, as seen in Fig. 3. The annular underface 3B of member I6 places the lock washer I5 in a position transverse to the stem 24 which, in this position of washer I5, is free from engagement with the latter.

It will be seen that, were the washer I5 to remain in its horizontal or transverse position after the button I6 has been released, the spring I?. .would be free to displace the adapter I3 and, with it, the cartridge II in an upward direction, thereby withdrawing the point 2l into the barrel I as shown in Fig. 2. To accomplish this result, it will merely be necessary to release the pressure upon actuating member IB with such suddenness that the spring I2 will expand almost instantaneously, without giving the thrust washer I4 time to overcome its own inertia and follow the upward movement of the stem' 2d. Stated mathematically, the force f which tends to entrain the thrust washer I4 will be a function of the' coefficient of friction between this washer and the stem 2li, while the reaction force opposing a movement of washer I may be expressed as the product of the mass m of the washer and the acceleration a. Hence, if the spring I2 be permitted to impart to the stem 213 such an acceleration that the product m-a is greater than the force f, the thrust washer Id will not leave its place until the shoulder 3l of adapter I3 strikes its' underside. Once the washer I4 has been set in action, it will act to tilt the lock washer I5 whereupon the further movement of stem 2li will be prevented in the manner previously set forth.

If, however, it is desired to lock the ball point 2l in the extended position shown in Fig. l, the operator again presses the button It as illustrated in Fig. 3, yet releases it slowly to enable the thrust washer Ill to follow the movement of stem 2d. Thus the movement of the adapterand-cartridge assembly will be arrested as soon as the lock `washer I5 has pivoted about the edge 2l of sleeve I'I, allowing the ball point 2i to rise for a distance. only which is insuliicient to retract it into the barrel ill.

It may be. mentioned that if, after prolonged use, the bore of thrust washer i4 should become worn (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 31) to such an extent that the washer lll will. no longer be frictionally entrained by the stem 24, it will still be possible to manipulate the mechanism for the purposes of extending, locking and retracting the point 2 I, by simply turning the pen upside down when it is desired tolock the point in extended position. If the button I6 is now pressed and slowly released the two washers lll and I5 will follow the downward movement of the button, due. tol gravity, and will automatically assume the locking positionshown. in Fig. l. For retracting, the same procedure will be followed in the normal position of. the pen. and, if the bore of washer Iii has been widened sumciently, a sudden release or nipping. of the button IE5 will not be necessary.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference toy ball point pens, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such pens or to writing implements in. general, but

that it may be used in connection. with punching or cuttingA devices and other instruments of similar character. Furthermore, the invention may be embodied in various. other forms representing modifications and adaptations of the arrange- 4 ment described :and illustrated, without exceeding its spirit and departing from its scope as dened in the objects and in the appended claims,

I claim:

l. In an instrument having a retractable working point, in combination, an elongated member having one end secured to said working point, a locking member surrounding said elongated member and having an aperture Iwider than the cross section of said elongated member whereby to assume a first position spaced from said elo-ngated member and la second position of frictional engagement with said elongated member, actuating means slidably surrounding said elongated member and being adapted to place said locking member in said rst position while displacing said elongated member in one sense, spring means tending to displace said elongated member in the opposite sense, and a thrust member for frictional eng-agement with said elongated member to displace said locking member from said iirst into said second position upo'n being entrained by the movement of said elongated member in said opposite sense.

2. The combination according to claim l wherein said thrust member surroundsv said elongated member and is provided' with an inclined surface facing said washer.

3. The combination according to claim 1, further comprising shoulder' means on said elongated member, said slioulder means being adapted positively to entrain said thrust member after said elongated member has moved a predetermined distance in said opposite sense.

4. In an instrument having a retractable working point, in combination, an elongated member having one end secured to said working point, a locking washer surrounding a portion of said elongated member adjacent the other end thereof, said washer having an aperture wider than the cross section of said portion whereby said washer will frictionally engage said portion in a position inclined with respect thereto but will surround said portion with clearance in a position perpendicular. thereto, an actuating member slidably surrounding said other end and adapted to exert an axial thrust upon said elongated. member, spring means tending. to displace said elongated member axially against the action-of said actuating member, the latter being adapted, when actuated, to displace said washer from said inclined perpendicular position whereby said elongated member willy be freed for axial movement, a thrust member surrounding said portion in limited frictional engagement therewith., abutment means limiting the entrainment of said thrust member by said. elongated'. member when the latter is displaced by said actuating member, and abutment means cooperating with said thrust member to tilt said washer into said inclined position whensaidthrust member is entrain-ed by said elongated member moving under the action of said spring means..

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said-thrust member is provided with a beveled profile facing said washer.

5. rIhe combination according to claim 4 wherein the surface of said actuating member facing said washer is perpendicular to said portion.

7. The combination according. to claim 4, wherein. said. portionV terminates in a. shoulder adapted positively to entrain said thrust member after said elongated member hasmoved a predetermined distanceunder the action of said spring means.

8. An instrument comprising a tubular member, an elongated member slidably held in said tubular member, a Working point secured to one end of said elongated member and adapted retractably to project from said tubular member, spring means tending to displace said elongated member so as to retract said working point into said tubular member, an actuating member slidably engaging the other end of said elongated member and adapted to displace the latter against the action of said spring means, a locking Washer surrounding a portion of said elongated member adjacent said actuating member, said Washer having an aperture Wider than the cross section of said portion whereby said washer will frictionally engage said portion in a position inclinedWithrespecttheretobut will surround said portion with clearance in a position perpendicular thereto, a thrust Washer disposed adjacent said looking washer at the side thereof opposite from said actuating member, said thrust Washer surrounding said portion in limited frictional engagement therewith, a shoulder on said tubular member for limiting the movement of said thrust Washer in the direction of said working point, said actuating member being adapted to cooperate with said thrust washer so as to bring said locking Washer into said perpendicular position whereby said elongated member will be freed for axial movement, abutment means cooperating with said thrust Washer to tilt said locking Washer into said inclined position when said thrust Washer is entrained by said elongated member moving under the action of said spring means, Whereby further movement of said elongated member will be prevented prior to retraction of said Working point into said tubular member, and a shoulder on said elongated member adapted positively to entrain said thrust Washer after said elongated member has moved a sufficient distance, under the action of said spring means, to retract said Working point into said tubular member.

9. An instrument according to claim 8, Wherein said abutment means comprises an edge of a beveled sleeve surrounding said actuating member.

l0. An instrument according to claim 9, further comprising guiding means for said actuating member, said guiding means being adapted to retain said actuating member and said sleeve within said tubular member.

11. An instrument according to claim 8, wherein the surface of said thrust washer facing said. locking Washer is conical.

CHARLES M. TURSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 85,863 Sible Jan. 12, 1869 2,143,177 Whyte Jan. 10, 1939 2,428,854 Randolph Oct. 14, 1947 

